Subcommittees

Energy & Mineral Resources

From the abundant solar energy in the desert southwest to the wind that blows across the Great Plains, to the oil and gas deposits of the Gulf of Mexico, America's mineral and energy resources on public lands are a precious endowment.

The Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources oversees these valuable public resources, to ensure that they are developed in a safe and equitable manner and that U.S. taxpayers are properly compensated for their use.

While public lands and waters have played a key role in the United States becoming the largest producer of natural gas in the world and the third largest oil producer, we are just beginning to realize the vast potential for harnessing the wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and hydro energy available on these lands.

And we must do so quickly. The US only has 2 percent of the world's oil reserves, yet we consume nearly 25 percent of the world's oil. Innovation, efficiency and harnessing alternative sources of energy hold the key to energy independence.

Responsible and balanced development of America's resources on public lands and waters will help increase American energy security today while also ensuring that these lands can be enjoyed by future generations of Americans.

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